Lamar/Prowers County residents are being warned of a phone scam that offers to get an arrest warrant dropped by paying a monetary amount by phone. The scam operators rely on intimidation to get people to pay.

Other states are reporting some scammers contact would-be victims by text message, claiming to be from a local court and that a warrant has been issued for the person’s arrest. The victim is told he or she can get the warrant quashed by calling a number and making a credit card payment.

They often use the name of an actual official in the court system to make the demand believable. Be aware these are fraudulent calls in an attempt to deceive the victim.

If you receive such calls or text messages do not return calls or give personal information. Please report these incidents to your local law enforcement agency.